Coupling for the steam-pipes of railway-cars



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

. R. I. HAMPTON.

COUPLING FOR THE STEAM PIPES 0F RAILWAY CARS.

' No. 406,397. Patented July 2, 1889.

N, VETERS. Halo-Lithographer. Washingiam IL'Cv (No Model.) 2 SheetsSheet2.

R. I. HAMPTON. COUPLING FOR THE STEAM PIPES OP RAILWAY CARS. No.406,897. Patented July 2, 1889..

N. PETERS. Plllflvl-iihngraphur. Walhington. D C.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ROBERT I. HAMPTON, OF ATHENS, GEORGIA.

COUPLING FOR THE STEAM-PIPES OF RAILWAY-CARS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 406,397, dated uly 2,1889. Application filed March 21, 1889. Serial No. 304,198. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ROBERT I. HAMPTON, a citizen of the United States,residing at Athens, in the county of Clarke and State of Georgia, haveinvented new and useful Improvements in Couplings for the Steam-Pipes ofRailway-Oars, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to couplings for that class of pipes employed in.conveying air or steam through a train of railway-cars for the purposeof supplying a heating medium to the interior of said cars or foroperating the brakes.

It is the purpose of my invention to provide simple means, which may, ifdesired, have automatic action, whereby the communicating extremities ofthe separate pipes arranged beneath the several cars may be readily andsecurely coupled and instantaneously uncoupled, the coupling beingeffected by means of a weighted sleeve running upon the coupling-cams ofthe pipe-sections and drawing the sametogether, said sleeve beingrendered detachable or removable and reversible at will.

The invention consists to these ends in the several novel features-ofconstruction and new combinations of parts hereinafter fully set forth,and then definitely pointed out in the claims following thisspecification.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a plan view of acoupling embodying my invention, the parts being shown as thepipe-sections are about to meet and be coupled. Fig. 2 is a similar viewshowing the parts locked. Fig. 3 is a plan view showing the partialrevolution of the coupling sleeve prior to the separation. Fig. 4 is aside elevation of the parts shown in Fig. 2. Fig. 5 is a central oraxial section. Fig. 6 is a crosssection in the line a: as, Fig. 5. Fig.7 is a cross-section in the line y y, Fig. 5. Fig. 8 is a cross-sectionin the line a: 00, Fig. 5. Fig. 9 is a detail perspective of one of thecoupling pipe-sections. Fig. 10 is a plan view of the pipe-section shownin Fig. 9.

In the said drawings the reference-numeral 1 designates one section ofthe pipe to be coupled, while the numeral 2 denotes the other section,each being connected to the rigid pipe beneath the car-bottom by anysuit able flexible means, whereby the movements and undulations of thecars under motion are taken up. This coupling may be made by means offlexible sections of pipe, although for durability I prefer to employ anall-metal connection. Upon each coupling-section at its end is formed alug 3, of substantially segmental form, from which projects in adirection parallel with the axis of the pipe a tooth or guide-piece 4..Upon the opposite section is formed a similarly-shaped lug 5, having arecess 6, within which the guide-piece enters as the coupling-sectionscome together, and by which they are brought into an accurate register,one with another, and rotary movement of either with relation to theother prevented.

The lugs 3 and 5, formed, as described, upon opposite sides of theabutting extremities of the coupling-sections, are of substantiallysegmental form, and while their meeting faces are flush with the ends ofthe pipe-sections their rearward faces are dressed off at a small anglewith the axis of the pipe, thereby forming cam-faces 7, having anobliquity similar to the pitch of a screw-thread. The construction ofall four of these lugs is in this respect the same; but; it should benoted that While the cam-surfaces 7 are cut in the manner set forth theydo not occupy the entire rearward faces of the lugs 3 and 5,but are cutfrom the outer surface part way to the pipe, leaving upon each lug ashoulder 8, which is parallel with the squarely-cut end of thecouplingsection. This construction is very clearly shown in Fig. 10.

Loosely mounted upon one of the couplingsections of pipe is aturn-buckle or lookingsleeve 9, having a slot or channel 10 out thereinnear and parallel to its end. This slot receives a stud or post 12,projecting radially from the top of the pipe-section, and serving inpart as a guide to the rotary movement of the locking-sleeve. The sleeveis provided at or near the end of this slot with an opening 13, by whichit may be placed upon the coupling-section, the stud or post 12 passingthrough said opening into the slot 10, the entrance-opening beingsufficiently covered by a cam-clutch 14, pivotally mount-ed on thesleeve, to prevent the longitudinal displacement of the sleeve. Thiscam-clutch also locks when turned down upon the surface of thepipe-section and prevents rotary movement of the locking-sleeve At thatend of the slot 10 adjacent to the opening 13 an inclined surface 15 isformed, inclining toward said opening, whereby when the sleeve is turneduntil the stud is brought against the inclined face a longitudinalmovement of the former will be caused, as shown in Fig. 3, therebybringing the stud 12 partly into the recess or opening 13. Upon theother or engaging couplin -section 2 is formed a radial stud or post 16,similar in all substantial respects to the stud 12, but so located thatwhen the locking-sleeve is rotated upon the two coupled sections ofpipe, as in Fig. 3, until the inclined end or surface 15 of the slot 10impinges upon the stud or post 12 and causes a longitudinal displacementof the sleeve, the end of the latter is brought into engagement withsaid stud 16 and brings a cam-stop to rest thereon. M

In opposite sides or upon opposite interior faces of the locking-sleeve9 are formed angular locking-shoulders 18, having a pitch or angularitycorresponding to that of the camfaces 7 of the lugs 3 and 5. Theseangular locking-shoulders may be formed by cutting entirely through thesleeve, as shown in Figs. 1 to 5, inclusive. In any form ofconstruction, however, these angular shoulders are formed to engage thecam-faces 7 of the coupling-section 2, and at suitable intervals areformed shoulders 1.), which "are cut straight or at right angles withthe axis of the sleeve to engage the straight shoulders 8 of the lugs 3and 5 on the pipe-section 1. The end of the locking-sleeve whichprojects from the pipe-section 1 is cut away inte:iorly to freely admitthe end of the pipe-section 2 with its lugs 3 and 5, slightly-beveledguides 20 being placed in the end of the sleeve, if desired, in order todirect the entering pipe-section to its proper position. For convenienceof manipulation a lever 21 may be attached to the sleeve, from which itprojects radially, and this lever may be so weighted as to giveautomatic rotation to the locking-sleeve when released, although thisfeature does not form an essential part of my present invention.

Before proceeding further with the description of parts, I will setforth the operation of the coupling devices.

The pipe-sections 1 and 2 being mounted upon the railway-cars in anysuit-able manner and the locking-sleeve .9 being in place upon eitherone of said sections, the coupling is effected as follows: Thelocking-sleeve being rotated, the post 12 strikes the incline 15 at theend of the slot 10 and passes into the opening or recess 13, whereby thesleeve is slightly projected forward upon the section 1. Being thenreleased,it turns very slightly by the weight of the lever 21 until theend of the cam-stop 17 is brought into the path of the stud or post 16on the entering pipe-section 2. Both the couplingsections are so mountedthat while the necessary flexibility is permitted the sections canneither of them turn upon their own axes, so that they will always bepresented in coupling in the proper position for engagement. As thepipe-section 2 enters the open end of the sleeve 9, the post 16 impingesupon the cam-stop 17 and carries the sleeve longitudinally far enough tofree the stud or post 12 from the recess 12-5 and bring it again intothe slot 10, while at the same time the ends of the pipe-sections meet.If a weighted lever 21 is employed, the action following will beautomatic, the sleeve rotating under the impulse of the gravity of thelever and its straight shoulders 15) engaging the straigl'it-eutshoulders 8 on the lugs 3 and 5 of the section 1, while the angularshoulders 18 make engagement with the cam-surfaces 7 on the pipe-section2. As this engagement takes place the instant the sleeve is released, avery limited rotation of the latter is sufficient to closely lock theengaging sect-ions together.

The sleeve 9 may be operated by hand as well as by automatic means, orboth. the weighted lever and hand manipulation may be employed, sincethe weight may not be sufficient to completely rotate the sleeve andlock the pipe-sections together.

In devices of this character where steam is employed for heating theinteriors, while either steam or air is used to operate the brakes andthe conductors signals to the engineer,it is necessary to provide in thecoupling pipe-sections different channels of communication, whereby eachmedium may traverse the coupling without mingling with the others. It isextremely desirable, also, that the construction shall be such that thechannels conveying the live steam and dead steam to and from theradiating-circuits shall be as completely as possible protected fromexposure to the airgwhereby rapid radiation of heat is caused and moreor less condensation of steam as a result. \Vhile the separateconductors arranged beneath the cars may be covered and fully protectedby jackets or other means, whereby conduction of heat is avoided, suchprotection is impossible in the pipe-couplings or pipe-sections.Therefore, while I have shown the pipe-sections as provided with fourconducting channels 22, formed of diametrical walls 23, I prefer theconstruction shown in Fig. 7, wherein the numeral 2% denotes the tubeforming the pipesection. \Vithin this tube is formed an integralconveyor 25, of substantially oval or elliptical form in cross-sectionand extending throughout the central portion of the pipesectiom'therebyforming a 'channel or passageway 26 above and a suitable channel 27below the central conveyer. If required, the latter may be divided intotwo separate and similar conduits 28 by means of a' central verticalwall 29. These channels may be used for the live steam andreturn-circuit for the heating apparatus, while the passages 26 and TIC27 may be used for the steam operating the brakes or for the medium bywhich the conductors signals are sounded. I may also utilize thesechannels as conduits for hot air, by which the brakes and conductorssignals may be operated, or I may simply pack the spaces thus formedwith any suitable nonconducting material.

It should be noted that by simply raising the cam-clutch in eitherdirection to clear the post 12 the turn-buckle or locking-sleeve 9 maybe readily and instantaneously removed from one pipe-section and aseasily applied to the other. The cam-faces 7 and shoulders 8 being induplicate upon each pipe-section, the sleeve may be reversed, and willoperate as readily on one section as upon the other.

Having thus described 1n y in vention,what I claim is 1. In a couplingfor the steam and other pipes upon railway-cars, the combination,with

two similar pipe-sections, each having seg-- mental lugs upon oppositesides, provided with alternate guides and guide-seats,of alocking-sleeve rotatively mounted upon one of said pipe-sections andcapable of a limited longitudinal adjustment thereon, said sleeve havinga cam-stop adapted to engage a stud or post upon the other pipe-sectionto hold the coupling in position for separation, substantially asdescribed.

2. In a coupling of the type set forth, the combination, with twosimilar pipe-sections having locking-shoulders thereon, of a locking-sleeve having a slot with a recess therein, which receives a stud onone pipe-section, and provided with locking-shoulders engaging thesimilar shoulders on the respective pipe-sections, said slot having aninclined surface at one end,whereby the stud is thrown into the recessto hold the sleeve in coupling position, substantially as described.

3. In a coupling of the type described, the combination, with twosimilar pipe-sections, each having lugs provided with straight shouldersand separate (am-inclined shoul- 4. In a coupling of the type described,the

combination, with two similar pipe-sections, each having oppositesegmental lugs provided alternately with guide-pieces and seatstherefor, of a locking-sleeve loosely mounted on one section and havingstraight and inclined shoulders engaging straight shoulders on onepipe-section and cam-shoulders on the other, one of said pipe-sectionshaving a stud running in a slot in the sleeve, said slot having aninclined end and recess adjacent thereto, and the other having asimilar-stud engaging a cam-stop on the end of the sleeve as thepipe-sections come together, substantially as described.

5. In a coupling of the type described, the combination, with twosimilar pipe-sections, each having segmental lugs provided with guidingdevices and each having straight and cam surfaces or shoulders on therear faces of each lug, of a locking-sleeve having a straight slot toreceive a stud on one pipesection and provided with a recess into whichsaid stud may pass to hold the sleeve when set for coupling, the otherpipe-section being provided with a stud to engage a cam-stop on the openend of the sleeve and throw the stud on the other pipe-section out ofits recess and release the sleeve as the ends of said sections meet,substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have aflixed my signature in presence of twowitnesses.

ROBERT I. HAMPTON. \Vitnesses:

J AMES L. NORRIS, J AMES A. RUTHERFORD.

